Shloka 6
कृतं त्रेता द्वापरं च कलिश्न भरतर्षभ । राजवृत्तानि सर्वाणि राजैव युगमुच्यते,भरतश्रेष्ठ! सत्ययुग, त्रेता, द्वापर और कलियुग--ये सब-के-सब राजाके आचरणोंमें स्थित हैं। राजा ही युगोंका प्रवर्तक होनेके कारण युग कहलाता है
kṛtaṃ tretā dvāparaṃ ca kaliś ca bharatarṣabha | rājavṛttāni sarvāṇi rājā eva yugam ucyate, bharataśreṣṭha ||
భరతశ్రేష్ఠా! కృత, త్రేతా, ద్వాపర, కలి—ఈ యుగాలన్నీ రాజుని ఆచరణంలోనే ఆధారపడివున్నాయి. యుగాన్ని ప్రవర్తింపజేసేవాడైన రాజునే ‘యుగం’ అని అంటారు.
उतथ्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The moral quality of an age is not merely cosmic fate; it is concretely produced by the king’s conduct. When the ruler embodies dharma, society experiences a ‘Kṛta-like’ condition; when the ruler is unrighteous, society slides toward ‘Kali-like’ disorder. Thus political leadership is presented as a primary driver of collective ethics.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and governance, the sage Utathya addresses a Bharata prince/kingly listener, explaining that the four yugas are reflected in and effectively instituted by the behavior and policies of the reigning king.